Barbell Lying Extension

Lie face up on a flat bench with your feet flat on the floor. Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Extend your arms fully, bringing the barbell directly above your chest. Slowly lower the barbell towards your forehead by bending your elbows, keeping your upper arms stationary. Pause briefly, then extend your arms back up to the starting position. Repeat for desired repetitions.

How to perform the Barbell Lying Extension

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Barbell Lying Extension using your barbell.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your triceps.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your triceps rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

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